Social buttons

Languages

Cahill thrilled to lead Socceroos

Socceroos icon Tim Cahill will captain the team in the absence of regular skipper Mile Jedinak, who is injured.

Published

2 September 2015

Stand-in Australia captain Tim Cahill is relishing the opportunity to lead the Socceroos out against Bangladesh in Thursday's World Cup qualifier.

Cahill was handed the armband by coach Ange Postecoglou on Wednesday, taking the place of injured skipper Mile Jedinak for the showdown in Perth.

The 35-year-old Cahill will lead the Socceroos into battle for the third time in his illustrious career and is excited by the prospect of being flanked by the likes of in-form youngsters like Tom Rogic, Massimo Luongo and Mathew Leckie as the Asian champions bid to make it two wins from two in Group B.

"That's the most exciting thing, it's seeing the combinations we have in attack and midfield as well," Cahill told reporters.

"The style of football we play, Tommy [Rogic] can definitely open up a defence, and these boys together I know can cause problems for any team.

"When you look at the way we play, the triangles, the set-up, it's hopefully going to be an entertaining game because I'm 100 per cent sure these guys will step up in a big way.

"They are very entertaining players, they want to do well and every player is getting their opportunity…we need good quality players to help make our organization better."

The clash against Bangladesh will be Cahill's 84th international appearance in the green and gold, scoring a record 39 goals.

Featuring in his fourth World Cup qualifying campaign, Cahill says it is too early to say if he will make it to Russia in 2018 but is ruling nothing out.

"The boss knows my plans, I just to take it game by game, and also my club form and how I'm doing domestically," said Cahill, who has scored six goals in his last eight games for Chinese outfit Shanghai Shenhua.

"It won't be good to look too far into the future because I've never done that. I pretty much got written off about going to the last World Cup and then made another Asian Cup after that.

"Let's leave it at that and see how I go. I'm having fun and I’m enjoying it."